Steep-tank valve



(No Model.)

' W. GRIESSER.

STBBP TANK VALVE. N0.'373,773. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

wmvsssm; IIlIVE/VTOI? 1 M QQW IINITEI) STATES PATENT rEIcE,

WILLIAM GRIESSER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEEP-TANK VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,773, dated November 22, 1887.

Application filed September 8, 1886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GRIEssER, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Steeplank Valves; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My improvement relates to a valve for use particularly on the class of steep-tanks employed by malsters for steeping barley; and it relates particularly to the mechanism for controlling the gate portion of the valve to render the same tight-fitting when closed, and capable of being readily opened to allow the discharge of the grain..

It is my object to provide a valve device of the foregoing nature, which shall involve great simplicity in its construction and effectiveness in its operation; and to this end my invention consists in the general as well as in the particular construction hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure I is asectional side elevation of a steep-tank valve, showing a broken portion of the steep-tank base or hopper-bottom and provided with a gate of my improved construction; and Fig. II, an elevation of the same viewed from the side at which the gate is hinged.

A is the valve, rectangular in form as to its sides, as shown, or of any other desired shape, and made outwardly flaring from its upper edge, as at r, to provide a seat for the hopperbottom B of the steep-tank it is designed to support, and oblique at its base. In one side is an opening covered by a strainer, 0, leading into an extension, 0, through which the liquid strained from the material steeped in the tank Serial No. 212,987. (No model.)

' o 0 are provided toward the lateral edges of the side q for a rod a.

The valve-gate D comprises a rectangular plate, as shown, thickest near its edges and recessed along each edge in the thicker portion to receive the respective lower edges of the sides of the valve A, the sides 19 being beveled slightly, as shown at a: x in Fig. I, to bring them in line with the corresponding recesses in the respective edges of the valve -gate when the latter is closed; and the recesses in the valve-gate are preferably provided with suitable packing, t. Hangers m, in the form of laterally-perforated lugs, extend from the upper edge of the valve-gate D a distance apart to bring them inside the bearings 0, as shown in Fig. II, the valve-gate being hung to swing on or with the rod a, which passes through the bearings 0 0 and hangers m.

Upon the outer face of the valve-gate D is cast or secured a segmental rack, E, strengthened by a web, E, and the body of the valve is provided with a frame comprising side pieces or arms, land Z, on the opposite sides adjacent to the sides q and p, and extending obliquely downward to cross the valve-gate when closed at about the same angle of inclination as that of the closed valve-gate, but in the opposite direction, the parts Z Z extending at their lower extremities beyond the valve and being joined by a cross-bar, Z strengthened by a tongue, P, the cross-bar affording at its center the bearing for a worm, F, having its thread in engagement with the teeth of the segmental rack E. A sleeve, F, extends from the rear face of the crossbar l to afford a bearing for the Worm-shaft 70, upon the projecting extremity of which is a crank, F by means of which the worm is turned. Turning of the worm in one direction moves the rack backward, which thus swings open the valve-gate and permits the discharge of the contents of the tank through the valve, the valve-gate being capable of opening to an extent that will bring it in parallel line with the side q of the valve, and turning the worm in the opposite direction swings the valve-gate toward the inclined base of the valve, causing the lower edges to enter the grooves or recesses provided to receive them near the edges of the valve-gate, which thus forms the bottom for the tank, and

ICO

is thus easily forced and held in position by the worm with a pressure sufiicient to render it perfectly air-tight.

I am aware of a steep-tank valve in which the valve-gate forms an oblique base for the chamber portion of the device, which, however, incloses it; and the valve-gate is closed by means of a screw, which, while it may an swer the purpose of producing tight-closing of the valve-gate, does not permit, like my improvement, the desired easy control of the same in opening it. Besides, the device referred to necessarily involves a more complicated and expensive construction than mine. The worm-aud-rack feature of my improved device causes the valve'gate forming the base of the chamber at its extreme lower end, and which is heavy, and particularly so with the weight of the contents of the device, to he antomatically controlled in opening it, thereby preventing strain upon and consequent disorganization and even breakage of the parts, and it also materially simplifies and decreases the cost of the construction when compared with that of the device referred to as old.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a steep-tank valve opened and closed by a valve-gate, D, the combination, with the valve-gate, of means for opening and closing it, comprising a rack extending from the valvegate, and a rotary worm supportedto engage with the rack, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a steep-tank valve, the combination of the valve-gate D, hinged to the valve, asegmental rack extending from the valve-gate, and a rotary worm supported to engage with the rack, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A steep-tank valve having in combination an inclined base, a valve-gate, D, hinged to the tank and recessed near its edges, a segmental rack extending from the valve-gate, and a rotary worm supported to engage with the rack, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A steep-tank valve having in combination an inclined base, a valve-gate, D, hinged at vthe side and recessed near its edges, a

segmental rack, E, extending from the valvegate, a fume comprising arms Z Z, secured on opposite sides of the valve to extend obliquely downward beyond the same, and a cross-bar, Z a worm, F, supported by the cross-bar to engage with the rack, and a crank, F connected with the worm, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

IVILLIAM GRIESSER.

In presence of HENRY HUDsoN, J. IV. DYREN'FOR'III. 

